


To Close the Year

by Anarchyinplasma



Series: Life and Times of a Risen [1]
Category: Destiny (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 20:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9513092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anarchyinplasma/pseuds/Anarchyinplasma
Summary: Arcturus gets melencholic waiting for dawning.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, small thing, hope it's enjoyable if you read it.

Arcturus sat at the tower edge, one leg dangling over the side, gazing at the snow-covered vista of the last city. He took out his knife, running a gauntleted finger over the finely ground cutting edge before securing it back in his vambrace. The lights in the distance continued to glint a gorgeous sea of colour despite the morning light.

It was early, far too early for any Guardian still living in tower quarters to be up and about, he himself had only come in to drop off a package with the postmaster for a friend and attend to one other small matter when he'd been seized by the desire to appreciate the view.

Out of habit, he put together the middle and forefingers of his hands and extended them outwards, leaving between them a glowing ribbon of amethyst which slowly gained strength and solidarity until it became an arrow. Pulsing with latent fire. Arcturus twirled the long thin shaft between his fingers, letting his natural connection with his light guide the subtle rhythm of his twirling hand.

As the arrow endlessly twirled end over end, point to fletchings to point and so on. The Risen let his mind wander, memories flickering through his mind's eye. London, during the Fallen’s razing of the city. It had been awash with flame, the Thames a river of debris, chunks of broken masonry drifting in the current.

The first time he mentored a new guardian, taught them how to properly utilise the gift of the void. By the time he was done, Tevis could have threaded a needle at a thousand yards. 

Mentoring Cayde; the current hunter Vanguard had taken one look at him and said  
“You were at the slaughter at Mare Ibrium.”  
They'd understood each-other after that.

His left hand ghosted over First Curse, Mare Ibrium was a disaster. Shaxx, Himself, and every other Risen or Guardian with even a modicum of brainpower had warned against sending troops to the moon. He went along to save as many as he could. Still the arrow twirled out of habit.

More memories come unbidden to the fore of his mind. Pre-collapse memories. More trouble than they're worth, those, he shoves them down, sparing only a moment in thought of the blonde med student with a piercing blue stare and her hair in a loose ponytail as she glares good-naturedly at him.  
“God you're annoying.”  
“And you're not sweetheart?” He would reply with a smirk, laughing as she swatted at him and stuck out her tongue childishly for a moment before continuing with her textbook with her earphones back in as he shuffles a deck of cards for another game of patience.

He continues his trip down memory lane as the fresh snow starts to fall again, small flakes mixing with his white hair. Still, the arrow continues end over end.

He remembers meeting Ikora for the first time, a young warlock, so full of fire and life and a surprisingly good aim for a bookworm. She'd been an iconoclast. He snorted. She used to be cool, then she got a real job.

He remembers Osiris, mind sharper than a hunters knife and a tongue plated in silver with ambition to match.  
“Just a few questions about the early days Master Risen…” (Arcturus had laughed so hard at that title).

He remembers prying Thorn from Dredgen Yor’s dead fingers in the middle of a forest in North America, carrying that burden ever since, living with the whispers for a few months, before his light started eating away at the tortured soul of the gun.  
“Will you kill oh bearer mine? Will you kill?”

He remembers an Ahamkara, the mighty wish dragons. Strong, proud, noble, with a vindictive streak hidden beneath their masks of pure wisdom. But they had been honourable.  
“You will find your answers on Mars, dearest Risen mine.”  
(He'd found them on Mars all right, past all the Vex the black garden ever churned out.)

He remembers meeting Stratos for the first time.  
“Andal, who the hell is this?”  
“He's your new student. Hope you like him, ta-ra.”  
“Hi, I'm really excited to meet you sir you've been talked up now canIjustask…?”  
“Oh for god's sake…”

He remembers Callahan getting his name. Seeing a movie poster in a old shop window in the husk that was Arcturus' home town.  
“Callahan, that speaks to me, I'll go with that.”  
He checks his watch, an antique Krüg-Bauman he'd been Risen with, kept in the inside of his left wrist, it was still ticking, despite numerous repairs and a millennium of wear and tear. Should be about time.

He stands and summons his bow, smooth amethyst curves drinking in light as he draws (classical style, flat drawing elbow, keep the other one slightly bent). He remembers meeting a very young Eva Levante, she'd run into him in the street and rather than be intimidated by the six foot six albino hunter she'd almost knocked over, had asked if his cloak needed a couple of stitches in one shoulder (when she asks about the very old printed photograph of a blonde med student in an exterior pouch, he hides it from view and changes the subject). He'd been her first customer, and paid commission on her tailoring ever since.

He remembers Gerry the barkeep, who has a wonderful little business out in the city centre, he goes back there at least once a week, even if he only drinks water. He's at least half way through telling his life story by now.

He releases the arrow and let's his bow fade (Jayne he calls it, though he'll never tell anyone why), and watches as, from an apartment in the city, a beam of golden energy lances up to hit his arrow. The collision of light is spectacular, breathing life into the festival that's beginning today.

Arcturus gazes out on the city and declares, in a somewhat sombre, yet satisfied tone.  
“The dawning has begun.”

In the back of his mind, a women with sapphire eyes smiles just a tad more brightly.


End file.
